Mobile terminal and vibration power control method therof

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a mobile terminal capable of providing optimal vibration power through sweeping of vibration frequencies, and a vibration power control method thereof. When a specific touch is detected after setting frequency sweep information in form of a table in a memory, at least one sweep frequency is swept at a preset period within a vibration frequency range exhibiting satisfactory vibration power using the frequency sweep information so as to drive a vibration motor, thereby maintaining vibration power always in an optimal state. Also, a driving voltage of the vibration motor may be dropped to reduce battery consumption while driving the vibration motor, and the sweep frequency range and the sweep period can be adaptively changed according to a type of application displayed on a screen to stably maintain vibration power irrespective of a change in an application.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A vibration control method for a mobile terminal, the method comprising:
 displaying a setting menu comprising a sweep frequency range, a sweep period, and a sweep time, wherein all items of the setting menu are individually selectable as being either activated or inactivated via user input received at the mobile terminal, wherein when respective items of the setting menu are selected as inactivated, preset values are used for the sweep frequency range, the sweep period, and the sweep time, and when respective items of the setting menu are selected as activated, user-selectable values are used for the sweep frequency range, the sweep period, and the sweep time; 
 setting first frequency sweep information for a first application comprising a text message writing function according to the present value or the user-selectable value of each of the sweep frequency range, the sweep period, and the sweep time based on the activated or the inactivated status of such items of the setting menu; 
 setting second frequency sweep information for a second application comprising an internet browser function according to the present value or the user-selectable value of each of the sweep frequency range, the sweep period, and the sweep time based on the activated or the inactivated status of such items of the setting menu, wherein the setting of the first frequency sweep information is different than the setting of the second frequency sweep information; 
 displaying the first application on a display of the mobile terminal; 
 driving a vibration motor according to the first frequency sweep information when a touch is received at the display while the first application is displayed; 
 displaying the second application on the display of the mobile terminal; 
 automatically changing frequency sweep information used to drive the vibration motor from the first frequency sweep information to the second frequency sweep information upon execution of the second application; and 
 driving the vibration motor according to the second frequency sweep information when a touch is received at the display while the second application is displayed. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the vibration motor comprises at least a coin motor, a brush motor, a linear motor or a pan motor. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 automatically determining the preset values of the first frequency sweep information and the second frequency sweep information based on a stored table according to a type of the vibration motor. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 dropping a driving voltage of the vibration motor by a preset level while the vibration motor is driven according to the first frequency sweep information and the second frequency sweep information. 
 
     
     
       5. A mobile terminal comprising:
 a vibration motor; 
 a display; and 
 a controller configured to:
 cause displaying on the display a setting menu comprising a sweep frequency range, a sweep period, and a sweep time, wherein all items of the setting menu are individually selectable as being either activated or inactivated via user input received at the mobile terminal, wherein when respective items of the setting menu are selected as inactivated, preset values are used for the sweep frequency range, the sweep period, and the sweep time, and when respective items of the setting menu are selected as activated, user-selectable values are used for the sweep frequency range, the sweep period, and the sweep time; 
 set first frequency sweep information for a first application comprising a text message writing function according to the present value or the user-selectable value of each of the sweep frequency range, the sweep period, and the sweep time based on the activated or the inactivated status of such items of the setting menu; 
 set second frequency sweep information for a second application comprising an internet browser function according to the present value or the user-selectable value of each of the sweep frequency range, the sweep period, and the sweep time based on the activated or the inactivated status of such items of the setting menu, wherein the setting of the first frequency sweep information is different than the setting of the second frequency sweep information; 
 cause displaying on the display the first application; 
 drive the vibration motor according to the first frequency sweep information when a touch is received at the display while the first application is displayed; 
 cause displaying on the display the second application on the display of the mobile terminal; 
 automatically change frequency sweep information used to drive the vibration motor from the first frequency sweep information to the second frequency sweep information upon execution of the second application; and 
 drive the vibration motor according to the second frequency sweep information when a touch is received at the display while the second application is displayed. 
 
 
     
     
       6. The mobile terminal of  claim 5 , wherein the vibration motor comprises at least a coin motor, a brush motor, a linear motor or a pan motor. 
     
     
       7. The mobile terminal of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 automatically determine the preset values of the first frequency sweep information and the second frequency sweep information based on a stored table according to a type of the vibration motor. 
 
     
     
       8. The mobile terminal of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 drop a driving voltage of the vibration motor by a preset level while the vibration motor is driven according to the first frequency sweep information and the second frequency sweep information.